Death toll in Pinskdrew explosion reaches five people

The death toll in an explosion that occurred in the chipboard shop of the Pinskdrew woodworking company on Monday has reached five people.

A man in his mid-30s died in the intensive care unit of the Pinsk Central Hospital and a woman, born in 1986, died in the National Burns Center in Minsk on Thursday night, bringing the number of victims killed as a result of the blast to five.

The two had burns over 80 percent of their bodies.

Two bodies of Pinskdrew workers were found by rescuers in the rubble on the day of the explosion. One more man died in intensive care in Pinsk on the night between October 25 and 26.

One victim hurt in the blast remained in the intensive care unit of the Pinsk Central Hospital on Friday morning. The condition of the man, born in 1985, was critical.
A woman who applied for medical assistance on her own was expected to be discharged from the neurosurgery unit later on Friday.

Five more Pinskdrew workers remained in serious condition in the intensive care unit of the Brest Regional Hospital on Friday morning.
Nine victims of the blast were in the National Burns Center in Minsk.

The press office of the emergency management ministry said in a Tuesday statement that the explosion at Pinskdrew was believed to have been caused by a human operation error.

The blast was due to wood dust that had accumulated in wood pellet equipment as a result of its improper operation, the press office said.